Chapter 504 – Thank You

Minato is telling Kushina that after he finish the Dead Demon Seal, he will place her remaining chakra in Naruto and she will meet him sooner than she thinks. He said that time will come and Naruto will attempt to control the fox’s power and he needs her to be there to help him.

Kushina said that Naruto is their son and Minato argued that it is why he does not want him to bear such burden on his own. Kushina then asked why it has to be the Dead Demon Seal. She argued that he need not die just so she could meet him for a few minutes when he is older. She wants him to be there for Naruto and to raise him up. She asked him why he needs to sacrifice Naruto to preserve the balance of the Tailed Beast and to save the village, the country and her.

Minato answered that turning his back on the village and the country is just as bad as abandoning a child and that she should understand as she knew full well how her own country fell apart, that she knows tha pain of growing up without a home of your own and that she knows that they are a family of shinobi. He said that even if he lived, he could never substitute for her. There are things that only she could tell Naruto. He said there are things that only mothers can do and he wants to do it for her even if it is just for the briefest moment. He said this isn’t only for her but also for their son. Dying to make a better life for his son, that is the stuff that the father should handle.

Just as the Dead Demon Seal is finished, the Third Hokage arrived but could not cross the barrier. He immediately recognized the Dead Demon Seal.

Finally, he was able to seal half of the Kyuubi’s power in him. He felt numb due to the heavy chakra. The Third Hokage could not believe what he’s done. Minato, on the other hand, proceeded with the Eight Trigrams seal. The Kyuubi realized he is being sealed into Naruto after seeing the ceremonial throne of the Eight Trigrams Seal. He tried to free himself from the chains that bind him and about to deliver a blow to Naruto but both Minato and Kushina blocked the attack. They were both pierced by the Kyuubi.

Kushina said that if the father can do their job, then the mother should be better. She said that he wins this argument and for the first time. The Third Hokage and the other shinobi with him noticed they protected their child. Minato said thank you to Kushina and summoned Gerotora. He entrusted Gerotora with the key to the seal and instructed him to store it with Jiraiya. The Third Hokage, on the other hand, realized that the Fourth Hokage saved the whole village by making his son the new jinchuuriki.

Once the key is safe, Minato performed another Eight Trigrams Seal and sealed both his and Kushina’s chakra into Naruto. He told Kushina that they don’t have much time and if there is anything she wants to tell their son. And she said to Naruto to be a good boy and not be a picky eater, to take a bath everyday and go to bed early and sleep well, to make friends and that it doesn’t matter how many but make sure they’re real friends, people he can trust even if they are few. She added that he should study his ninjutsu and to listen to his teachers at the academy. She said that he should avoid the three vices of a shinobi: don’t borrow money if you can help it and save what you earn, no drinking alcohol until he is 20 and not to overdo it, and as for women, try not to pick a weird one and try to find someone like her. She added a fourth which is to watch out for Jiraiya-sensei to Minato’s amusement. She also said that he is going to experience a lot of pain and suffering but that he should remember who he is, find a goal and a drean and never stop until he’s made them all come true. She said there’s so much more she wants to tell him and teach him, that she wants to stay with him and that she loves him. She apologized to Minato for taking all their time. Minato, on the other hand, has only one advice and that is to listen to his mother.

Kushina’s story has ended and she now apologized to Naruto for making him the Nine Tails vessel and left him with such a heavy burden, and that she was not there to raise him and love him. But Naruto told her not to apologize because he never blamed them even if he did have such a hard time growing up. He said he may have managed since he never had parents to understand what parental love is but now, he does because his parent gave up their lives for him. He said they filled him with love before sealing the Nine Tails in him so he is here healthy and happy and he’s glad he is their son. Kushina thanked Naruto for allowing her and Minato to be her parents and for being their son. With that, the last of Kushina’s chakra disappeared.